Mobile Phone Users Setting Up Online Communities
June 5th, 2007 | 1 Comment
Mobile phone users in emerging markets are setting up online communities that are similar to those built on the Internet. Users can play virtual games, communicate, blog and even conduct business transactions in these communities, says Finnish 3G strategist Tomi Ahonen.
Ahonen says while an estimated 10% of Americans are traditional bloggers, more than 30% of Koreans are already mobile bloggers. Mobile content is growing from being used as a way to personalize the phone, to a stage where users share communicate and share information to improve their lives, says Davin Mole, CEO of Exactmobile, a South African mobile content company.
Mole says his company, which previously saw itself as a mobile content provider, is growing its services to provide digital communities where people can mobile-blog, advertise their services or even meet potential partners.
SA ready for mobile digital communities
While most South African telecoms providers agree that the market is ready for more online participation, PC penetration levels are extremely low.